Brake-beam.



' PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.

' F. R. CORNWALL.

' BRAKE BEAM.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 6, 190&.

CT b .Gornwall F ifivehborzrederickR ATT Y 0 5 6 M l w 1 v m, m 4 Q W1bne UNITED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK R. CORNWALL, OF ST.-LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGORAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLI- NOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,978, dated January31, 1905.

Application filed December 5. 1904. Serial No. 235.543. i I

description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a brake-beam with myinvention applied. Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the invention.Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. I isasectional view on the line 4: 4 ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 shows aslightly-modified form of securing means, and Fig. 6 is an endelevational view of a moditied form of the device.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in brake-beams,the object being to construct a beam whose head can be re-j moved whilethe beam hangs in position under a car. It is found in practice thatinspectors frequently permit the brake-shoes to wear down too far, withthe result that the attachinglugs on the head are ground off, so as todestroy their efliciency, and consequently the new heads have to beplaced in position. The

.loss of the'shoe frequently causes the attaching-lugs on the head whenthey are forced up against the wheel to become worn, and other causes,such as breakage of the lugs, &c., render frequent repairs in the wayofintroducing new heads on the brake-beam necessary.

- Heretofore it has been the general practice to unhang the old beam tobe repaired, take the same into the shop, and rehang a new beam or agood beam in the place of the old one removed for repairs. As the headis the part of the beam most frequently repaired, it will be obviousthat a removable headthat is, one which can be taken off of the beamwithout unhanging or disturbing the integrity of the truss and a newhead substitutedpossesses many advantages over the old-style beamshaving heads capable of being removed, but

which necessitate the unhanging of the beam or the disturbance of thetruss.

I am aware that it has heretofore been the practice to providebrake-beams with adjustable headssuch, for instance, as is shown in thepatent to Huntoon, No. 769,384, dated September 6, 1904.. It is possibleby this construction to screw up the nut so as to compress the springand withdraw the toothed block from engagement with the serrated surfaceof the sleeve, thus enabling the head to be removed. This head,however,with its contained spring, serrated block, bolt, and nut is moreexpensive than the plan proposed by me, and, further, while thisrotatable head has its advantages there are no means of locking the headagainst movement on the beam, and in some instances a rigid head ispreferred to an adjustable head. By the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings the brake-head is provided with a non-circularsocket, whereby it is rigidly mounted onthe non-circular thrust-block,being held in position by av cotter-pin', so that it is possible for aninspector to remove the head with the implements which he carries withhim and substitute a new head at comparatively slight cost to the roadand 2 indicates the thrust-blocks, in which the ends of the compressionmember are seated. 31s the tension member passing through thethrust-blocks at the ends of the beam and being provided with nuts 4,whereby the tension member may be tightened and a camber placed in thecompression member.

5 is the usual strut or brake-lever post. On the thrust-block is aspline or key 6, which preferably extends outwardly beyond the end ofthe head, the head being provided with a recess to receive the spline orkey, so that when the head is in position a cross-key 7 may be insertedin the projecting end of the spline, the ends of said cross-key engagingthe outer face of the head to hold the same against longitudinaldisplacement. The innor end of the thrust-block is provided with aprojection 8 to locate the head properly on the thrust-block, and inaddition, if desired, the spline or key may be tapered or wedgeshaped,so that the head inbeing introduced in position will fit tightly on thespline or key. A cotter-pin 9 may be introduced in the cross-key toprevent displacement of said cross-key; but it is obvious that insteadof using a cross-key with a cotter-pin, as shown, the ends of thecross-key can be bent with a hammer so as to hold the brake-head inplace, in which event the cotter pinwill not be needed.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the thrust-block as being provided with a grooveinstead of a permanent spline or key, which groove is adapted toregister with a groove in the head, whereby a removable spline or key 10may be employed, this spline 10 having a bent portion or head at itsinner end to hold it in position and having its outer end projectingbeyond the outer faces of the thrust-block and brake-head. Theprojecting end of this spline or key 10 may be provided with acotter-pin, or the end may be bent over to hold the brake-head inposition.

It will be observed with respect to the above construction that it isnot necessary to loosen up the nuts on the ends of the tension member,and thereby dismantle the beam in order to remove the head, as is thecase where a separate thrust-block is, not used; but it is possible bythe use of a hammer to knock out the cotter-pin or straighten the key orspline, as the case may be, so that the head can be taken ofi withoutdisturbing the camber of the beam and anew head substituted with aminimum amount of time and labor.

I am aware that minor changes inthe construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts of my device can be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without in the leastdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be obtained by Letters Patent, is

1. In a trussed brake-beam, the combination with a non-circularthrust-block, of a brake-head designed to receive a removable brake-shoe and having a correspondinglyshaped socket, whereby said brake-headcan be taken OE and placed in position by moving it in a directionlongitudinally the beam and without disturbing the integrity of thetruss, said head when in position being rigidly held against rotarymovement, and means for locking said head against longitudinaldisplacement; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a non circular thrust-block of a trussedbrake-beam, of a brake-head designed to receive a removable brake-shoeand having a non-circular socket and removably mounted thereon, andmeans engaging the outer face of the brake-head for holding it inposition on the thrust-block; sub stantially as described.

3. The combination with the thrust-block of a trussed brake-beam, of abrake-head removably mounted thereon, and a longitudinally-disposed keyor spline for rigidly connecting the thrust-block and brake-headtogether; substantially as described.

4:. The combination with the thrust-block of a trussed brake-beam, of aspline or key extending longitudinally thereof, a removable brake-headprovided with a way for receiving said spline or key, and means mountedon the thrust-block and engaging the brake-head to hold said brake-headin position; substantially as described.

5. The combination with the thrust-block of a trussed brake-beam, of aspline or key carried by the thrust-block and fitting in the recess inthe inner face of the head, and means at the end of said spline or keyfor engaging the brake-head and holding it in position; substantially asdescribed.

6. The herein-described thrust-block for trussed brake-beams, the samehaving a looking projection on its periphery for fitting in a recess inthe socket of the head, and a keysupport on the outer end of saidthrust-block; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aftix my signature,in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 2d day of December, 1904.

FREDERICK R. CORNIVALL.

Witnesses:

LENORE WILsoN, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

